Operations Research

We identify new solutions to transportation problems, on the ground, in the air, or on the sea, transport of people or goods, whatever the mode. We focus on technical solutions, but also on their impact on the system as a whole. We are also interested in the interactions of the transportation systems with the land use, the economy, the environment, etc.

Capacity building program in urban mobility and transportation

The purpose of this project is to develop graduate curriculum in urban mobility and transportation. The relevant courses of this curriculum will be available in MOOC format. This program is a collaborative project between Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Urban Transport Systems Laboratory (LUTS) and Transport and Mobility Laboratory (TRANSP-OR) at EPFL.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Yousef Maknoon, Riccardo Scarinci

Sponsor

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Period

September 01, 2016-September 01, 2019

External collaboration

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

External collaboration

LUTS

LaTeX description

Incorporating advanced behavioral models in mixed integer linear optimization

Discrete choice models are used for detailed representation of the "demand". However, their complexity makes mathematical formulations highly non convex in the explanatory variables. On the other hand, Mixed Integer Linear Programs (MILP) are optimization problems with discrete variables that are used in many applications to design and configure the "supply". In this project, we propose a new modeling framework that allows to include any random utility model in a mixed integer optimization formulation. The heterogeneity of demand is captured within the general choice model framework and the offers are tailored in a way that is beneficial for users as wells as providers. The main objective of the project is to obtain a framework that is both general, so that it can be applied in many applications, and operational, so that it can be used in practice.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Shadi Sharif Azadeh

Sponsor

Swiss National Science Foundation

Period

April 01, 2016-March 31, 2019

Collaborator

Meritxell Pacheco

LaTeX description

TRANS-FORM: Smart transfers through unravelling urban form and travel flow dynamics

TRANS-FORM, a cooperation between universities, industrial partners, public authorities and private operators, will develop, implement and test a data driven decision making tool that will support smart planning, and proactive and adaptive operations. The objective of the project is to better understand transferring dynamics in multi-modal public transport systems and develop insights, strategies and methods to support decision makers in transforming public transport usage to a seamless travel experience by using smart data. The tool will integrate new concepts and methods of behavioral modelling, passenger flow forecasting and network state predictions into real-time operations. TRANS-FORM is funded under the European Commission Horizon 2020 ERA-NET program.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Shadi Sharif Azadeh, Riccardo Scarinci

Sponsor

The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC)

Period

March 03, 2016-March 03, 2019

Collaborator

Nicholas Molyneaux

LaTeX description

Network Design for SBB Cargo

The overall interest of SBB Cargo is to minimize the operating cost of their network and to compare its performance to a better network, completely designed from scratch. The resulting framework is then planned to be used to improve the current network of SBB cargo and its future development. The main research challenge of this project is to incorporate the SBB Cargo needs into one model while taking into account the specifics of the railway network and its operation. The researchers from the Transport and Mobility Laboratory (TRANSP-OR) will develop a heuristic algorithm that gives as an output a complete network design based on the inputs (cargo demand, capacity, types and costs of different bundling points). The algorithm can be further adjusted by entering the already existing bundling points. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm will be tested thorough comparison with existing solutions. TRANSP-OR, led by prof. Michel Bierlaire, has a track record of successful projects of solving highly complex problems arising in industrial sector. This one-year project is sponsored by SBB-CFF-FFS.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Nikola Obrenovic, Virginie Lurkin

Sponsor

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)

Period

September 01, 2017-August 31, 2018

External collaboration

SBB

LaTeX description

Cost reduction using passenger centric timetabling

To design their timetables, train-operating companies mostly focus on operational aspects and cost. In Switzerland, a paradigm of transportation planning is to create regular-interval timetables (a.k.a. cyclic timetables) which aim for maximal transfer connections, simplicity and hence user friendlyness. SBB uses travel simulation models to predict the impact of timetable changes on travel demand and revenue. Mathematical timetable optimization methods are not yet used by SBB. But a recent EPFL thesis (2016) shows that the timetable itself has a significant impact on the performance of the operator in terms of the number of transported passengers: a timetable design that considers the behavior of passengers leads to higher revenue(s), market share(s), higher value of passenger-km etc. In this project, the aim is to use the optimization methods developed by the TRANSP-OR Lab consisting in combining cyclic and non-cyclic timetables and apply it to the Swiss Federal Railways’ timetable design. The goal is to evaluate the performance of the current Swiss interval timetable and to compare it to the optimal one. Suitability of hybrid timetables for the Swiss railway network will be investigated. This one-year project is carried out by the Transport and Mobility Laboratory, led by prof. Michel Bierlaire. TRANSP-OR has vast competence in modeling, optimization and simulation of transportation systems. The project is sponsored by SBB CFF FFS.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Virginie Lurkin

Sponsor

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)

Period

September 01, 2017-August 31, 2018

External collaboration

SBB

LaTeX description

myTOSA 2.0 - Enhanced simulation and optimization tool for cost-optimal deployment of TOSA electric buses

The TOSA catenary-free electric bus system is the ABB response to the challenge of decreasing the environmental impact of public transportation. The project builds on the previous CTI project - myTOSA - and it aims to introduce new business analytics features and to improve the fidelity of the simulation and (robust) optimization modules used for a cost-optimal deployment of the TOSA charging infrastructure and component sizing.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Riccardo Scarinci, Virginie Lurkin

Sponsor

Commission pour la technologie et de l'innovation, Office Fédéral de la formation professionnelle et de la technologie.

Period

September 30, 2015-November 16, 2017

Collaborators

Shadi Sharif Azadeh, Yousef Maknoon

External collaboration

ABB, ABB Sécheron

External collaboration

HES-SO Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse occ.

LaTeX description